As he prepares to turn 100, Dr. M.O. Owens Jr. reflects on his life and ministry

By Bill Williams

Published: Saturday, August 31, 2013 at 03:13 PM.

nWhile heading up the Central Warning System from Wilmington to Georgetown, he was instrumental in the sinking of a German sub off the coast of South Carolina during the early World War II years.

Has traveled all over the world, visited all continents except Antarctica (50 countries).

Came to Gastonia in 1960, led the fight opposing two elections on the sale of alcohol – lost both efforts, but moved ahead, undaunted.

Led in a number of construction projects at several churches that he pastored.

Has had a part in starting six new churches during his ministry, including Parkwood Baptist Church, where he still serves as pastor emeritus.

Led in the establishment of Gaston Christian School, present enrollment of more than 900 students.

Has fought cancer three times – colon cancer in the 1960s, several serious skin cancers, also prostate cancer.

After retirement, served one year as a missionary in Belgium.

Still conducts weekly services at Parkwood and Covenant Village, where he resides, his third wife, Margaret, having died a year ago.

Dr. Owens still plays a good game of golf, shooting his age frequently. He is the leader of a Parkwood group that play on Tuesdays. Mondays, he says, he takes off.

He generally eats breakfast in his room, skips lunch and looks forward to dinner. “These dinners are pure enjoyment,” he said, “eating generally at a table for six where conversation flows and relationships are nurtured.

He walks with the cadence of a 50-year-old man, always with a spring in his step.

He lives in an apartment at Covenant Village, inhabited by memories of the past: a gold-plated putter given to him by a friend who had achieved prominence in national golf, a baseball signed by the 1955 World Champions Brooklyn Dodgers, along with framed pictures and stories of his treasured past.

Just beyond the glass doorway, the beauty of multiple plants brightens up the place. All of his life, he has cherished the sight and fragrance of flowers.

M.O. Owens Jr. woke up this morning quite early, stretched his 99-year-old limbs and then lumbered off toward the bathroom.

He shaved, combed his hair, splashed on lotion, glanced around and figured he might want to do a bit of organizing and straightening up some time that day.

Tossed his pajamas on the bed and figured he’d hang them up later.

Nothing much out of the ordinary here, except that this was a nearly 100-year-old man doing that.

People who know Dr. M. O. Owens Jr. learned long ago that from him they can look for treasured items, both the expected and the unexpected.

Readers can glance at Owens’ bio printed elsewhere on this page and have a pretty good idea of what’s been happening in his long life as a hard-charging, loving but effective Southern Baptist minister.

Among those battles:

nWhile heading up the Central Warning System from Wilmington to Georgetown, he was instrumental in the sinking of a German sub off the coast of South Carolina during the early World War II years.

Has traveled all over the world, visited all continents except Antarctica (50 countries).

Came to Gastonia in 1960, led the fight opposing two elections on the sale of alcohol – lost both efforts, but moved ahead, undaunted.

Led in a number of construction projects at several churches that he pastored.

Has had a part in starting six new churches during his ministry, including Parkwood Baptist Church, where he still serves as pastor emeritus.

Led in the establishment of Gaston Christian School, present enrollment of more than 900 students.

Has fought cancer three times – colon cancer in the 1960s, several serious skin cancers, also prostate cancer.

After retirement, served one year as a missionary in Belgium.

Still conducts weekly services at Parkwood and Covenant Village, where he resides, his third wife, Margaret, having died a year ago.

Dr. Owens still plays a good game of golf, shooting his age frequently. He is the leader of a Parkwood group that play on Tuesdays. Mondays, he says, he takes off.

He generally eats breakfast in his room, skips lunch and looks forward to dinner. “These dinners are pure enjoyment,” he said, “eating generally at a table for six where conversation flows and relationships are nurtured.

He walks with the cadence of a 50-year-old man, always with a spring in his step.

He lives in an apartment at Covenant Village, inhabited by memories of the past: a gold-plated putter given to him by a friend who had achieved prominence in national golf, a baseball signed by the 1955 World Champions Brooklyn Dodgers, along with framed pictures and stories of his treasured past.

Just beyond the glass doorway, the beauty of multiple plants brightens up the place. All of his life, he has cherished the sight and fragrance of flowers.

He still drives his 2008 red Mercury. A year ago, he preached at Parkwood at 10 a.m., climbed into his car and drove to the eastern part of the state where his family was waiting with a birthday party.

This year, however, everyone comes here, where a couple of parties will be waiting.

In the meantime, he has been thinking about renewing his driver’s license.

“No problem,” he said. “I’m pretty sure I’m ready.”

Somebody once said that the older the fiddler, the sweeter the tune.

Amen.

Some thoughts on M.O.

When asked “Who is M.O. Owens Jr.?” many positive thoughts come to mind:

1. Integrity— M.O. is consistently honest, without compromise, to his Christian faith.

2. Love— M.O.’s favorite scripture is: “God is Love”(1 John 4:8), and he often refers to others as Beloved. Everyone respects and loves M.O. Owens Jr.

3. Visionary — While M.O. steadfastly holds onto biblical truths, he possesses the ability to challenge people to live Christian lives in today’s world. Every church M.O. has pastored has grown because he held before them a vision of what was possible under God’s direction.

4. Golf — M.O. loves golf and frequently wins over competitors much younger who score in the 90s.